Yesterday
8.00 am – At home
“Maa, I am getting late. I am leaving for the interview,” Rohan shouted out from the living room, as he finished his breakfast in a hurry.
It had been four years since Rohan completed his post-graduation but he was still unemployed; not because he was not skilful but because vacancies were more often than not filled through bribes and recommendations.

“Hold on for a minute Rohan,” his mother said, stopping him at the doorstep.
“Let me tie this thread on your wrist. I brought the sacred thread for you from the temple; it has the blessings of Goddess Parvati. I am sure you will succeed in today’s interview,” she said, tying the thread along with her love for Rohan and faith in god.
She placed a teeka of sindoor and rice and gave him the prasaad she brought from the temple.
 

But Rohan did not share this faith. “Mom. You always do all this when I am heading for an interview but none of this has given any result till date. I don’t believe in this entire nuisance,” he said with a scowl on his face and distrust in his heart.
He had lost all faith in god with the constant failure and disappointments.
 

“Rohan. Don’t be so disheartened,” she said, with a mock slap on his cheek. “Always remember one thing, one can never get anything before time and more than one’s destiny. Never lose your morale. You will definitely succeed one day, at the right time,” his mother said.

“Yeah yeah, just pray that the right time of my life comes before the end of my life,” said the disgruntled youth.
“No Rohan, don’t even speak like that!” his distressed mother cried out.
“Okay maa,” he trying to cheer her with his fake smile. “Maa, you are my only support. I want to give you lots of happiness,” he said, touching her feet seeking blessings.

11:00 am – At the interview centre      
Rohan anxiously awaited his turn for the interview for the post of a software engineer. He appeared calm but a swirl of nervousness and turmoil clenched his mind.
With the entry of each candidate into the interview hall, Rohan’s heartbeat increased; every rejection was met with a sigh of relief.
“I have to get this job. No one else can need this more than me,” he felt, as he thought about the crowd of creditors who thronged his home daily, hurling abuses at him.

Rohan’s father had left them when Rohan was just 10-years-old. Forced to fend for herself and little Rohan, his illiterate mother started earning as a household maid, washing people’s dirty clothes, their used dishes and cleaning their houses. In the evenings, she would stitch clothes. She wanted a bright future for her only son and was saving money for his education. She would not even take medicines when ill to avoid spending money. Despite the fact that she couldn’t afford to, she admitted Rohan in a good school and then college. To support his mother financially, Rohan started taking tuitions while studying.

Rohan’s eyes blurred with tears as he thought about his mother’s struggles.
“No maa, you have suffered a lot. Those days of suffering are going to end soon,” he murmured, filled with renewed confidence for the sake of his mother.

“Rohan Sharma, you may go inside,” the receptionist called out, breaking his reverie.
Rohan took a deep breath and moved towards the cabin with a heart full of hope, faith and confidence and most of all, love for his mother.
 

The interview was going well.
Rohan didn’t evince any signs of nervousness or fear on his face. He maintained a successful dialogue with the interviewer because of his skills, confidence and his mother’s blessings.
“Well done Mr. Rohan Sharma, you...” the interviewer was interrupted by the ring of the phone.
“Hello,”
“Yes. Yes sir. Yes sure.”

 Turning to Rohan, the interviewer said, “I am so sorry Mr Rohan Sharma. You did well but we need someone more calibre for this post. Better luck next time.” Rohan’s hopes were shattered. His dreams, ambitions destroyed.
He had failed again, his destiny ditched him again. He had been so close to success but then, the phone rang.
 

“No. There is no reason left for survival. It’s all over. I am just fed up of all these interviews and rejections. Every time when I am about to get selected, such phone calls snatch my opportunity, my happiness, my hopes, my dreams, my ambitions.”

Rohan was frustated. “But how can I leave my mother alone. How will she survive without me?”

Stopping at a chemist’s store for a few minutes, a disheartened Rohan reached home.
Wiping his tears, he pasted a fake smile on his face and rang the bell.
His mom rushed to open the door and hugged him. “What happened at the interview?” His mother was excited, her eyes glistening.
Hearing his mother’s question, Rohan’s eyes blurred with tears but he regained control.
“Mom, now our painful life will end. I got selected,” He hugged her because he was unable to meet her eyes when lying to her.
“I knew it! I told you the same.” Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. She kissed his forehead and give him her blessings.
“Let's go inside maa. Today, I will make some tea for us,” and they stepped into the house, Rohan heading into the kitchen.
After pouring the tea into two cups, he mixed some crushed tablets in both cups. His hands trembling, he took the tea to his mother. They both sipped tea and then Rohan lay down with his head in his mother’s lap.
“I want to sleep in your lap maa.”

She caressed his hair with her fingers, satisfaction in her eyes and guilt in his heart.

Today

“Twenty-eight-year-old man found dead along with his mother,” read the headlines on the front page.
“The mother-son duo was found in the drawing room of their house, with his head on her lap. Two tea cups were found lying on the table in front of them.”
 

* teeka of sindoor and rice – placing a dot of vermillion and rice grains is a form of blessing in the Indian tradition